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Windies win T20 at Gabba

Laine Clark

Reigning Twenty20 World Cup champions the West Indies flexed their muscle against a depleted Australia to clinch a 27-run victory in their one-off international at the Gabba on Wednesday night.

At the same time a Matthew Wade-captained Australian team played a tour match in India, national T20 captain George Bailey led out an unheralded line-up featuring three debutants.

In the end, Australia's inexperience showed as they stumbled to 8-164 in response to a fast finishing Windies' 6-191 in front of 19,562.

It ensured the Windies ended their horror tour with a smile following their 5-0 one day series loss to Australia.

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Denied Australian cricket's biggest stars due to the clash with the Test tour of India, fans voted with their feet in Brisbane - barely half of the Gabba was full for what was supposed to be this summer's international cricket climax.

While players tried to thrust their name in front of Test selectors in the two-day clash with the Indian Board President's XI in Chennai, punters were struggling to recognise all the Australian T20 players at the Gabba.

Chasing 192 for victory, Australia looked comfortable at 1-79 in the 10th over with Shaun Marsh and Adam Voges at the crease before two run outs in three balls turned the match on its head.

First Marsh (21 off 19 balls) was caught short by Tino Best at cover after being called through for a quick single, ending a 74-run second wicket stand.

Next over it was Voges (51 off 32 balls) taking the long walk back to the pavilion after Australia lost 2-3.

A cheeky single was attempted after wicketkeeper Devon Thomas fumbled but he redeemed himself by throwing down the stumps to catch out Voges at the striker's end.

Just like Voges, captain George Bailey (15) overcame a hamstring complaint to earn a last minute selection on Wednesday but he was snared by spinner Sunil Narine (2-19).

Brad Haddin (22 off 11 balls) tried to give Australia a sniff, at one stage bludgeoning Narine for two sixes and a four in three balls, before hitting out once too often against Kieron Pollard (3-30 off four overs).

Pollard then cleaned up, at one stage eyeing a hat-trick as the mini-collapse became a full blown crisis for Australia.

The hosts initially punched above their weight to restrict the Windies after the early loss of matchwinning opener Chris Gayle (eight) in just the second over.

Left-arm quick James Faulkner (3-28 off four overs) was a thorn in the Windies' side, at one stage grabbing two wickets in three balls.

Opener Johnson Charles (57 off 35 balls) shared an 88-run second wicket stand with Darren Bravo (32 off 27) to steady the innings.

But it was the late hitting of Pollard (26 off 17 balls), Andre Russell (23 not out off 11) and captain Darren Sammy (20 off seven) that helped lift the Windies to a more than competitive target.

The trio combined to ensure the visitors lashed 48 runs off the final three overs.